James Bustard

About

James' current role as Director of National Glass Centre is to provide strategic direction and leadership to the Centre which has a public facing exhibition and production role set within a research active, learning environment.

James studied History of Art at the University of Essex before completing a postgraduate Museum and Art Gallery Studies Diploma at the University of Manchester.

A former exhibitions curator, art dealer and journalist during the 1980's James curated various exhibitions for the Scottish Arts Council; organised an expedition to the North Pole for the sculptor, Andy Goldsworthy, and worked in a freelance capacity for The Art Newspaper.

Between 1991 and 2010 James worked with Arts Council England (North East) becoming Head of Visual Arts in 1997 after the successful delivery of the 1996 Year of the Visual Arts. This period saw a massive inward investment in the North East region of Arts Lottery and regeneration funding into the arts and the transformation of the visual arts infrastructure.

In a voluntary capacity James served as a Trustee, and then Chair of the Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh between 2001 and 2005.

A passionate long distance walker, amateur tennis player and aspirant cyclist he lives in Yarm in North East England.